Naaji's scream tore through the air, raw and feral, her silver hair whipping about as her eyes flared crimson. Her hands clawed into her own skin, the blood dripping down her forearms twisted, reshaped, and hardened into monstrous claws.
Rank 2 Ability: Blood Transformation.
The earth shuddered beneath her steps as she lunged forward, carving through soldiers with savage precision. Each slash split men like parchment, blood spraying in arcs across the dirt. Her wrath was untamed, primal even.
From the top of the hillside, Indra's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"Selene! Watch her back. Don't let her get hurt."
Selene narrowed her eyes, flames curling in her palms. "Hmph. Just try not to die yourself." She dove after Naaji, fire trailing her descent.
Indra grinned, letting the Demonic General's scythe materialize in his hand, its wicked edge whispering in hunger. With a leap, he crashed into the fray, cleaving soldiers apart in wide arcs. Their screams melted together into one horrific chorus.
But killing wasn't enough.
As the ground grew littered with corpses, Indra's body shifted, rippling into translucent slime. It oozed outward, snaring the dead like a flood swallowing driftwood. Their bodies dissolved into nothingness, absorbed into his being. The slime shivered and pulsed as he reformed, his voice calm even amid the carnage.
"Essence," he murmured, licking blood from his lip. "The key to evolution within the path root.. Every rank, every ability—paid for in the essence of others."
By the time the last screams faded, a silence fell. Naaji stood at its center, drenched in blood, atop a mountain of corpses. Her chest heaved, and her throat released another guttural scream that shook even Selene's composure.
Indra's voice cut through the haze like steel.
"Naaji."
Her head snapped toward him, wild eyes burning.
He pointed toward a nearby hut. "I found your father."
Her claws melted back into flesh as she stumbled toward him, rage dissolving into desperate hope. Together with Selene, they pushed into the hut.
Inside, a man with silver hair streaked in white lay frail upon a bed. His hollow cheeks lifted as Naaji rushed forward.
"Father!"
Their embrace was tight, trembling with sobs, words choked and broken. For a moment, the world outside no longer existed.
But grief soon shadowed joy. Naaji pulled back, eyes wet. "Where is mother?"
Her father's silence was answer enough. His lips parted, his voice hoarse.
"She… she is no longer with us.."
Naaji's eyes widened, then shattered. She stumbled back, pain written across her face. Before she could bolt from the room, Indra caught her wrist, pulling her into his chest.
She stiffened, body rigid in defiance. But as his hand steadied her back and his low whispers brushed her ear, her resistance broke. Her tears spilled freely, soaking into his shirt as she buried herself in his embrace.
When her sobs finally slowed, Indra released her. She returned to her father's side, clinging to him with fragile strength. Indra exchanged a glance with Selene, tilting his chin toward the door. She nodded silently, following him out to give them space.
————
Half an hour later, Naaji emerged, her eyes swollen and red. Selene hesitated, hand twitching toward her, but froze mid-reach. Indra smirked faintly and nudged her forward. Selene stumbled into Naaji, who blinked before collapsing against her. They held one another without words, finding comfort in quiet solidarity.
Indra, meanwhile, gathered the surviving Silverblood clan members. His voice carried a calm authority that made them listen despite the blood on his hands.
"I don't want your loyalty. I don't want your land or riches. All I ask is that Naaji walks with me—if she chooses to. The rest of you… leave this place. Cross the border. Build anew in the Other Lands. This soil is already tainted in blood."
Murmurs rippled, but no one argued. His words felt final.
When Naaji finally returned to him, Indra asked, "Do you wish to go with them… or with me?"
Her lips quivered, but her gaze steadied. "I owe you more than I can ever repay. My path is with you."
Her goodbye to her father was raw, filled with trembling embraces and whispered promises. As she walked away, Selene's eyes lingered, her jealousy barely masked beneath a cold exterior. Indra noticed and, without a word, patted her head. Selene's cheeks flushed pink before twisting into irritation.
"Stop that!" she hissed, smacking his hand away.
Indra only chuckled.
————
Two days later, the trio donned their academy uniforms. White cloth trimmed with gold and black shimmered against their forms, each tailored perfectly by the enchantments woven into the fabric.
At the gates of Class Crown Academy, their futures awaited.
The exams were brutal yet precise—two tests, physical and essence level, measured from 0 to 1000.
Indra's blade-carved body pushed him to 875 physical, but his essence was pathetic at 125—just enough to scrape into Class A, but he was obviously holding back.
Naaji's strength and resilience shone, her scores 800 physical and 600 magic placing her firmly among the elite.
Selene, however, stepped forward only once. Her magic score blazed at a perfect 1000, rendering the physical test unnecessary.
The three of them entered Class A together.
Inside, Naaji's excitement lit her face, Selene appeared indifferent, and Indra feigned curiosity. They had barely found their seats when a trembling voice broke the moment.
"Selene…? Is that really you?"
A girl with pink hair tied in a ponytail, her violet eyes brimming with tears, stood before them.
Selene's own eyes widened.
"Aki…?"
The two rushed into each other's arms, hugging tightly before stepping back, hands clasped as they spoke in hushed, eager voices.
But peace never lasted long.
A sharp, mocking laugh cut through the reunion. Two figures stepped forward—one a girl with purple hair tied back, red eyes gleaming with arrogance; the other, a blue-haired boy with the same crimson gaze.
Selene's smile vanished, her expression darkening. Aki's did the same.
Indra's inner voice filled the silence: The Aima siblings. Hikaru and Veli. They hounded Selene at a young age, knowing she wouldn't strike back. And when Aki defended her, they turned on her too. In the end, Selene fled back to her realm rather than kill them.
Hikaru sneered. "Well, well. Look who crawled back. The runaway beauty and her little lapdog."
Aki's eyes flashed. "Better a lapdog than a parasite feeding on scraps of fear."
The air grew tense, thick with old venom.
But before it could ignite, a silver-haired man entered, his purple eyes gleaming behind polished glasses. With a snap of his fingers, a gust of wind exploded between the girls, forcing them apart.
"Enough." His tone was calm but sharp, carrying authority that silenced the room.
"Continue this and you'll find yourselves suspended."
The class fell quiet as he strode to the podium.
"My name is Aoi. I will be your instructor. And let me make something clear—I don't fully believe the crystal scores. Numbers alone don't show worth."
His gaze swept the room like a storm as he pushed his glasses up.
"So… today, we spar. Two versus two. Show me your strength, and show me whether you can fight together."
The room buzzed with nervous anticipation. Indra leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face.
Things were about to get interesting.